Electric stopper for fluid-containers



E. C. WEBSTER. ELECTRIC STOPPER FOR FLUID CONTAINERS. APPLICATION FILED APR.12,1920.

1,400, 46; Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST CRESTON WEBSTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC STOP? FOR FLUID-CONTAINERS.

Specification of Letterslatent. Patented Dec. 20, 1921;

Application filed April 12, 1920. Serial No. 873,805.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST CRESTON WEBSTER, a citizen of the United States, a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in an Electric Stopper for Fluid-Containers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an electrical heating element that is incorporated in the plug or stopper of a hot water bottle or other fluid containers for the purpose of heating the fluid contained within, for therapeutic purposes.

The object of my invention is to rovide a very simple means carried in the p ug, automatically controlled, that will heat the water and at the same time automatically control the action of the electric heating current.

The invention is set forth in the claims.

Reference will be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a section through the nozzle of an ordinary rubber hot water bottle. 4

Fig. 2 isan enlarged view through the plug itself.

Fig. 3 is a the left of Fig. 1. V

Fig. 4 is a section on line -4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of one of the electrical connecting members.

In the drawing 1 indicates the ordinary rubber sack of a hot water bottle. 2 indicates the rubber flaring funnelof the bottle and 3 represents my lug. 4 represents the screw threaded insi e collar of the bottle and 5 represents in general outline my heating element and plug. .6 indicates the no ative electrode terminal and 7 the positive terminal. These points are connected with any regular slip socket electrical connection to a source of electrical supply from the general current service line.

The body of my plug is made of a suitable insulating material normally employed for such purposes, but in this instance, I pre-. fer to make it out of bakelite, indicated by 8. By this method of manufacture I mold into the block which forms the plug the metal parts, which are held in place by hein molded into the body 'of the bakelite.

' he ordinary metal screw threaded end which forms the stopper of the-bottle inbottom plan view looking from dicated by 9, which screws into the collar 4 in making a closure for the bottle. On the inside of this screw threaded end 9 there is an annular carbon block 10 molded in place as indicated. For insulation from this annular carbon block 10 there is a portion 11 of bakelite and this section of bakelite has within it an annular carbon block 12 and it is provided on its inside with an annular insulation 13 of bakelite, and on the interior of this bakelite there is a-central cylindrical carbon block 14.

The annular block 10 is in electrical connection with themetallic threaded portion 9 and this in turn is connected through the copper bar 15 to the negative electrode 6.

The annular carbon block 12 is provided with a metallic cap 16 which is connected with a copper bar 17 to a central pivot pin or screw 18 which is in electrical connection with a thermostatic coil made of a soft piece of metal 19 coiled upon a harder piece of metal 20 and finally terminates in an end 21 having a contact piece 22 engaging a secondary contact piece 23 which is in electrical connection by means of a screw .24 with a copper bar or band 25, which is in electrical connection with the electrode 7. This electrical bar 25 with its screw 24 is in electrical connection at 26 with the central cylindrical plug 14 at all times.

Whenever the contact point 22 is in touch with the contact point 23, then the annular carbon plug 12 is also in electrical connection with the electrode 7 through the mediumof the connection 25. This is the normal situation when the heating is desired. Theele ctric current then travels from the annular carbon electrode 10 around through the water to the annular carbon piece 12 and in a lesser degree to the cylindrical carbon plug 14. As the fluid in the container heats up, owing to the travel of the electric current through the water across the nose of the inside end of the plug as above indicated, the temperature rises in the plug itself and when this temperature reaches a desired regulated' point, through the medium of the point 23 and thus breaking the electrical circuit through the thermostatic coiland shutting off the current travel through the annular plug or carbon block 12; 1

However, the current continues to remain through, the electrode 14 being connected across through the fluid'to the annular car'- bon block 10. But this amount is relatively slight but is sufi'icient to .keep the circuit clos d and ithus prevent arcing across'the poi ts 22 and 23' as the contacts are broken at those points through the movement of the coiled thermostatic parts 19 and 20. -When a limited amount of fluid is used the temperature of the fluid in the container continues to rise further through the travel of the current through the water from the block 14 to' the block 10, then gas or vapor is generated within the bottle itself and this cuts down the travel of the current. as the gas is replaced by the water and thus automatically breaks the circuit entirely.

- When the temperature falls again the thermostatcoil brin s in contact again the points 22 and 23 an the vapor in the fluid container condenses and the fluid again makes the connection across the carbon con tact blocks and the heating is renewed and so on, and the fluid container becomes its own regulator to keepthe predetermined temperature of the water at all times.

The thermostat coil as indicated by 19 and 20 is made. in the usual manner of mak ing instruments of this kind, having metals of diflerent degrees of expansion so that as the temperature changes there is a bend takes place in a manner well known in in- 'struments of this lnnd.

The object of this particular arrangement of electrical heating elements with a thermostat control of the current passing throu h the electrodes is to provide, first; a rapld heating capacity for the heat stopper and second, a slow generation 0 heat approximating, in heat generation, the amount of heat bemg radiated, thereby, maintaining a constant temperature of the fluid contamer without the too frequent separation of contact points 22 and 23.

The arrangement whereby some current is still allowed to flow after the contact points 22 and 23 are separated, serves to prevent the arcing and consequent destruction of the points caused by arcing.

The cavity in which thiscoil is placed is covered ,by any suitable inclosure block or termed creased by the addition of a little common salt or washing soda, or other material, to

the fluid, which inthe case iof water' increases the conductivity of the water within a container for liquid, a main circuit and a branch circuit both leading to said electrodes, and means whereby heat exceeding a predetermined limit automatically interrupts one of the circuits.

2'. The combination with a container for liquid to be heated, of a stopper having inwardly exposed heating electrodes to'be connected by the liquid, a thermostat arranged to receive heat from said electrodes and adapted to lessen without interrupting the heating current, automatically, when the temperature of the container exceeds a predetermined limit.

3. In a device of the class described,a

screw threaded stopper for a bottle pro- "vided with an annular conducting nose or nozzle adapted to come in contact with the fluid, and forming a part of the electric circuit through the fluid inthe bottle; in combination'with two other contact points exposed to the action of the fluid, insulated ductor and adapted to be connected by fluid in the bottle, one of the said two electrical contacts continuously being connected with its electrical conductor and the other one intermittently connected through the medium of a thermostat under the influence of the heat generated within the bottle.

1 d. In a device of the class described, a stopper for a fluid container having elecfrom each other, connected to the same controdes located therein and insulated from each other and exposed to the fluid within the bottle, whereby the latter makes the electrical connection across between the electrodes; in combination with a thermostat adapted to open and close an electric circuit and saidthermostat located in connection with the plug and acted upn by theiheat generated in the bottle. I

5. The combination with a li uid container and a stopper therefor having at its inner end primarily insulated heating electrodes adapted to be connected by liquid to be heated in the container, of a thermostatic device acted upon by. heat generated at said electrodes and controlling the maximum oi the current while the current continues.

6. In a device of the class described, a

heating element for a fluid container in the form of a plug secured into the fluid container in combination with a thermostatic her in the form of a coil located within the plug or stopper and adapted to open and close an electric heating circuitunder the influence of the heat generated in the fluid container.

7. In adevice of the class described, a stopper for a fluid container, electric con tacts' and electrodes mounted within the stopper having contact points exposed to the liquid within the bottle whereby the latter serves as a part of the electric circuit connection in combination with a thermostatic control for making and breaking the electric heating circuit' and said thermostatic control located within the body of the stopper and adapted to be acted upon by the heat generated in the bottle; and means adapted to vary the adjustment of the temperature at which the thermostat controls the electric circuit.

8. In a device of the class described, a plug for a fluid container having an outer sleeve-like ring serving as a part of the heating unit; in combination with an inner analogous ring insulated from the first ring and having an exposed end adapted to come in contact with the fluid in the bottle and connected with the other pole of the electric circuit whereby thefiuid within the bottle may close the circuit by forming the electrical connection between the two said annular conductors.

9. In a device of the class described, an annular conducting member located near the periphery of the internal end of the plug; in combination with a central cylindrical block and an annular block encircling the said cylindrical block and both blocks connected to the same pole of the electric circuit, but one of the said blocks being permanently connected and the other intermittently connected to the said same poles.

Signed at Chicago, in the count of Cook and State of Illinois, this 31st day of March ERNEST CRE-STON WEBSTER. 

